's body, one can infer that he is a man of some means, as he is able to afford a plane ticket, an expensive haircut, and a comfortable bed in which to rest his head. The speaker reflects on a past mem

The poem "Close Shave" by Charles Mungoshi is a beautifully written piece that captures the reader's attention with simple yet meaningful imagery. Through the lens of a speaker, let's dive deeper into the poem and examine its elements and themes. In the first line, "a plane roars above," setting the tone of the poem with intensity and perhaps creating a feeling of vulnerability in the speaker. The plane's presence "rattling the loose sheets of the roof" adds a layer of discomfort, as it not only affects the speaker's physical environment but also seems to evoke an uneasy emotional response. As the poem progresses, the speaker's attention shifts to the "click-click of the barber's cold shears close to his jugular vein." This imagery is critical to understanding the theme of the poem - the feeling of tension, danger, and vulnerability. The barber's shears being "cold" adds to the sense of unease, as the speaker feels the frigid metal close to his life-giving jugular vein. This proximity to danger elicits a "dry" swallow from the speaker, heightening the intensity of the moment. The poem then transitions into the speaker's reminiscing, as "a distant memory brushes his brow feathery, ever so lightly." The shift from the tension and fear of the barber's shears to this delicate moment demonstrates the simultaneous ability of memories to provide a sense of comfort and fleeting escape in the face of precarious situations. However, the poem ends with the image of "a big ball of new grey hair softly – heavily falling in his lap". This symbolism conveys that despite the momentary relief provided by the distant memory, the speaker is ultimately confronted by the reality of growing older and the passage of time. This new grey hair might also symbolize how the speaker's past and present emotions are interwoven despite the contrasting experiences. To summarize, the speaker in Charles Mungoshi's poem "Close Shave" effectively communicates the emotions elicited through the imagery of physical tension (the barber's shears), the brief moment of comfort (a distant memory), and the undeniable presence of aging (new grey hair). The poem serves as a reminder of the vulnerability we all experience in the face of time's passing and the memories, both pleasant and challenging, which we carry with us.